Action plan

The Higher Learning Commission, which accredits colleges and universities in Minnesota and 18 other states, announced in 2015 that it would begin enforcing existing rules for the academic qualifications of teachers of concurrent enrollment courses by September 2017. About 75 percent of Minnesota’s current concurrent enrollment teachers must acquire additional graduate-level credits to continue teaching the courses after that date. In some cases, the credits may be awarded based on a teachers’ professional experience rather than completion of a formal graduate-level course.

Minnesota State has applied for a five-year waiver to extend the deadline until 2022, and is awaiting a response.

Education Minnesota, the Minnesota State College Faculty (MSCF), the Inter-Organization Faculty (IFO) and Minnesota State recently joined together to create a comprehensive action plan to support the vitality of high-quality concurrent enrollment programs and to assist concurrent enrollment instructors in meeting minimum faculty qualification requirements.

It includes:

Creating multi-year professional development plans for teachers.

Offering cohorts of teachers in specific disciplines course options that work around their schedule.

Awarding credit based on experiences outside the classroom through a portfolio evaluation.

Promoting team-teaching models for high school teachers who have not met their target.